St. Paul bar owner blames lockout for major staff cuts

ST. PAUL, Minn.- A St. Paul bar owner has laid off two-thirds of his staff due to revenue lost because of the NHL lockout, according to a report from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

The Eagle Street Grille, a bar located across the street from Xcel Energy Center, laid off about 32 of its 48 employees, the report said.

In a letter addressed to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Joe Kasel said Minnesota Wild games nights account for more than half of Eagle Street's gross annual revenue.

"The impact on our lives is immeasurable," Kasel wrote in the letter. "One city's devastation may not seem like a powerful incentive to end the lockout, but I know this is happening in other cities around the nation."

According to the report,the revenue stream has dried up during the work stoppage. Kasel said in the letter that he is worried that fans and sponsors may never return, or at least not with the same level of financial support.

"I urge you to find an immediate winnable solution for the fans, our staff and the small-business owners that support the NHL," Kasel wrote in the letter.